The present invention relates generally to winding devices and more particularly to an improved surface drive winding apparatus with at least one of the surface drive rollers being movable responsive to changes in the diameter of the material roll being wound.
It is well known to use surface contact as the driving force for winding and unwinding rolls of material such as textile fabrics and the like. It is also known to adjust the relationship of the drive rolls with respect to each other depending on the size of a particular roll of material being wound. However, such movement of the drive rollers with respect to each other has not been continuously accomplished proportionate to the actual changes occurring in the size of a roll as it is wound. In prior art devices, any changes in the relative position of the drive rollers are accomplished intermittently and not continuously and proportionately to the changing diameter of the material roll. The prior art devices have the disadvantages of providing less uniform winding of the material roll as well as operating at lower speeds than the present invention.